
What peat can tell us about our future
Science In Action
The Degradation of the Peat in the Congo Basin
A large part of the Congo Basin in Equatorial Africa is underlain by thick layers of peat, dead, partially decomposed vegetation. It's a huge natural store of carbon that would otherwise make its way into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. But only so long as it remains intact. A prolonged dry period starting 7,000 years ago led to a loss of 4m depth of peat. Climate change may trigger another period of loss.
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